Multiple utility ribbon spool

ABSTRACT

A ribbon spool adapted to be operable with plural diverse business machines, having a removable eyelet to provide a core having openings of two different diameters according as the eyelet is present or removed, and having two sets of drive openings, respectively of different radii and diameters.

United States Patent 1191 Landgraf June 25, 1974 1 MULTIPLE UTILITY RIBBON SPOOL 2,998,878 9/1961 Biedingeret a1 197/175 3,835,130 7122; 5:1 :11 1271; Ave, Oak Lawn, 60453 3,065,838 11/1962 Biedinger et 31.... 197/175 3,094,204 6/1963 Landgraf 197/151 [22] 1971 3,497,050 2/1970 Landgraf 197/175 [21] Appl. No.: 210,324

Primary Examiner--Ernest T. Wright, Jr. [52] U.S. Cl. 197/175 Attorney. gent, 0r Firm-Hyman Hurvitz [51] Int. Cl B4lj 35/00 [58] Field of Search 197/151, 175 [57] ABSTRACT I A ribbon spool adapted to be operable with plural di- [56] References C'ted verse business machines, having a removable eyelet to UNITED STATES PATENTS provide a core having openings of two different diam- 928,001 7/1909 O'Connor 197/175 X eters according as the eyelet is present or removed, 2,304,498 12/1942 Hart 197/175 and having two sets of drive openings, respectively of Regentrop el al. different radii and diameters 2,873,839 2/1959 Bishop 197/175 2,925,164 2/1960 Murphy 197/175 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 MULTIPLE UTILITY RIBBON SPOOL BACKGROUND It is known in the art of ribbon spools for typewriters, to provide spools which are, insofar as possible, universal, i.e., capable of use on plural machines. It is not common, so far as I am aware, to provide spools for other business machines, such as adding and calculating machines, which can be modified by the purchaser so as to be useable with plural machines It is an object of the present invention to provide a spool which is fabricated of one molded piece, plus metallic prongs for holding the end of a ribbon, and a hollow cylindrical removable eyelet in an axial opening of its core, to provide two selectively available opening diameters, according as-the eyelet is installed or removed, with two sets of drive pin receptacles distributed about the axial opening. With the eyelet present the spool is suitable for use with Olivetti adding and calculating machines, but with the eyelet removed the spool is suitable for use with Comptograph machines and others.

, SUMMARY A ribbon spool capable of use with diverse business machines, according as a metallic sleeve or eyelet is installed or removed, the spool having appropriate drive pin openings for both types of machines.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of an adding and calculating machine ribbon spool according to the invention, offset from a drive mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a view in plane of the underside of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken on line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view in section taken on the line 44 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION force to it. FIG. 3 illustrates the sleeve or eyelet 15 par-' tially removed.

The core thus can have two different diameters of axial opening, according as whether the sleeve or eyelet is installed or removed. For use with Comptograph machines the sleeve or eyelet 15 is removed, but for Olivetti machines it remains installed. A typical centering pin is illustrated at 31, FIG. 1 Three drive pins 30 extend equiangularly about the centering pin 31. These fit three small openings 17 extending at 120 separations from each other about the opening 13, or three large openings 18, extending at 120 separations from each other about opening 13, but separated from openings 17 by 60, so that in all there are six openings 17 and 18 separated from each other by 60 angles. Each set of three is adapted to fit drive pins as 30 of a different business machine.

Each of these openings 17, 18 extends into the larger axial opening 13, to facilitate molding, and is in the shape of a generally U-shape with a slightly narrowed neck adjacent the opening 13. A flat 20 is provided on one edge of core 10, extending from flange 11 to flange 12, and terminating in rectangular slots 21, 22 extending through the flanges 11 and 12. The slots 21, 22 secure the opposite ends of a flat prong strip 22a, which rests on flat 20 along its length and which has two circumferentially extending prongs 23 and 24 about midway between flanges 11 and 12, the prongs 23 and 24 being for securing a ribbon (not shown) adjacent its ends by penetrating the material of the ribbon.

A recess 32 subsists in the hub 10, extending parallel to the axis of the hub 10, part way between the flanges ll, 12. This recess 32 has a reversing function on some machines, the nature of which is not described as not affecting the invention.

What I claim is:

I. A ribbon spool for plural diverse business machines, comprising a central plastic cylindrical hub, parallel spaced plastic flanges integral with and extending from said hub, said hub having an axial cylindrical aperture extending entirely therethrough, and a metallic cylindrical hollow open-ended sleeve snugly fitted in said aperture and removable threfrom by axial force applied to said sleeve, the internal diameters of said cylindrical aperture and of said hollow sleeve being selected to fit ribbon spool centering pins of said diverse business machines, respectively, wherein is provided two sets of drive pin openings extending through said hub and flanges parallel with said cylindrical aperture, said sets of drive pin openings being concentric with said cylindrical aperture and being of different sizes and occupying different radii with respect to an axis of said spool and radial channels extending into said cylindrical aperture from each of said drive pin openings, said sizes and radii being selected on a per set basis, to accommodate drive pins of said diverse business machines.

- 2. A plastic ribbon spool capable of use with diverse business machines having ribbon spool centering pins and drive pins for driving said plastic ribbon spool, comprising a plastic integral structure consisting of a hub and two spaced flanges extending in planes perpendicular to said hub, an axial aperture extending through said hub and of internal diameter selected to fit the centering pin of one of said diverse business machines a removable open-ended cylindrical sleeve snugly fittable in said axial aperture and having an internal diameter selected to fit the centering pin of another of said diverse business machines, and two diverse sets of drive pin receiving openings extending through said hub and flanges parallel to said axial aperture, said diverse sets of drive pin receiving openings having respective radii with respect to an axis of said spool, diameters and angular locations selected respectively to receive the drive pins of said business machines, respectively, and radial channels connecting each of said openings with said axial aperture.

3. A ribbon spool for plural diverse business machines, comprising a central plastic cylindrical hub,

parallel spaced plastic flanges integral with and extending from said hub, said hub having an axial cylindrical aperture extending entirely therethrough and a metallic cylindrical hollow open-ended sleeve snugly fitted in said aperture and removable therefrom by axial force drical aperture from each of said drive pin openings, said sizes and radii being selected on a per set basis, to accommodate drive pins of said diverse business machines, wherein said hub and flanges are integral'and fabricated of plastic in one unit, wherein is provided opposed slots in said flanges, said slots being tangent to said hub, a flat on said hub extending between said slots and a metallic prong support extending along said flat and having ends extending into said slots. 

1. A ribbon spool for plural diverse business machines, comprising a central plastic cylindrical hub, parallel spaced plastic flanges integral with and extending from said hub, said hub having an axial cylindrical aperture extending entirely therethrough, and a metallic cylindrical hollow open-ended sleeve snugly fitted in said aperture and removable threfrom by axial force applied to said sleeve, the internal diameters of said cylindrical aperture and of said hollow sleeve being selected to fit ribbon spool centering pins of said diverse business machines, respectively, wherein is provided two sets of drive pin openings extending through said hub and flanges parallel with said cylindrical aperture, said sets of drive pin openings being concentric with said cylindrical aperture and being of different sizes and occupying different radii with respect to an axis of said spool and radial channels extending into said cylindrical aperture from each of said drive pin openings, said sizes and radii being selected on a per set basis, to accommodate drive pins of said diverse business machines.
 2. A plastic ribbon spool capable of use with diverse business machines having ribbon spool centering pins and drive pins for driving said plastic ribbon spool, comprising a plastic integral structure consisting of a hub and two spaced flanges extending in planes perpendicular to said hub, an axial aperture extending through said hub and of internal diameter selected to fit the centering pin of one of said diverse business machines a removable open-ended cylindrical sleeve snugly fittable in said axial aperture and having an internal diameter selected to fit the centering pin of another of said diverse business machines, and two diverse sets of drive pin receiving openings extending through said hub and flanges parallel to said axial aperture, said diverse sets of drive pin receiving openings having respective radii with respect to an axis of said spool, diameters and angular locations selected respectively to receive the drive pins of said business machines, respectively, and radial channels connecting each of said openings with said axial aperture.
 3. A ribbon spool for plural diverse business machines, comprising a central plastic cylindrical hub, parallel spaced plastic flanges integral with and extending from said hub, said hub having an axial cylindrical aperture extending entirely therethrough and a metallic cylindrical hollow open-ended sleeve snugly fitted in said aperture and removable therefrom by axial force applied to said sleeve, the internal diameters of said cylindrical aperture and of said hollow sleeve being selected to fit ribbon spool centering pins of said diverse business machines, respectively, wherein is provided two sets of drive pin openings extending through said hub and flanges parallel with said cylindrical aperture, said sets of drive pin openings being concentric with said cylindrical aperture and being of different sizes and ocCupying different radii with respect to the axis of said spool and radial channels extending into said cylindrical aperture from each of said drive pin openings, said sizes and radii being selected on a per set basis, to accommodate drive pins of said diverse business machines, wherein said hub and flanges are integral and fabricated of plastic in one unit, wherein is provided opposed slots in said flanges, said slots being tangent to said hub, a flat on said hub extending between said slots and a metallic prong support extending along said flat and having ends extending into said slots. 